Generation of ion wave streamers by the resonance absorption due to nonlinear interaction of microwave-plasma

Summary form only given, as follows. An unmagnetized, inhomogeneous laboratory plasma irradiated by oblique p-polarized microwave with pulse length 0.2-1.5 ps and power 1-2 kW is studied. The incident electromagnetic wave is linearly converted into an electrostatic plasma wave when the incident wave frequency is equal to the local plasma frequency. The localized linear enhancement of the driven oscillating field can lead to nonlinear phenomena driven by the ponderomotive force. This ponderomotive force expels electrons from the resonance region and the resulting ambipolar electrostatic fields also expel the ions creating density cavities at the resonance region.